Dhaka | Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday inaugurated the 82-km Padma Bridge Rail Link, the country's largest infrastructure project built under China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Hasina unveiled the Dhaka-Bhanga section of the rail route between Dhaka and Jashore through the Padma Bridge from Mawa Railway Station in Munshiganj.

The remaining portion of the project linking Jessore is expected to be launched in June of next year, the Dhaka Tribune reported, quoting project officials.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, who attended the inaugural ceremony, said the Padma Bridge Rail Link is a landmark project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and also the largest infrastructure project in Bangladesh using Chinese preferential loans.

As one of the most important infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, it is estimated to directly benefit 80 million people and boost economic growth by 1.5 per cent, he claimed.

The project is estimated to cost Tk 39,246.80 crore, with the Exim Bank of China providing a loan of Tk 21,036.70 crore, the report said.